• A few people have been scammed on the site, Only use paypal to pay for items for sale by other members. If they will not use paypal, its likely a scam NEVER SEND E-TRANSFERS OF ANY KIND.

Non-linear fuel gauge... When does your first bar go away?

MalcolmReynolds

Site Supporter
Joined
Mar 24, 2017
Messages
253
Reaction score
23
Points
18
Location
Ozarks
Visit site
I know the fuel gauge has been beaten to death in the forum. I did some searching and I see most of the focus is on the move from 2 bars to flashing to tell you to get gas. Also that the fuel gauge drops rapidly.

So yesterday I fueled up and ran some errands and waited and watched to see when the first bar would disappear. All of my riding was in town and on some 2 lane highway. Kept speeds down so I know that will affect how much fuel is being burned and when the gauge will drop. But this gauge is apparently very nonlinear and I went quite a ways before the first bar finally disappeared. Which tells me that the subsequent bars will vanish much much faster.

So how far can you typically ride before the first bar disappears on your gas gauge? I am just trying to get an idea of what is "normal" for others and maybe and idea of what your typical MPG is for your bike? Thanks!
 
If the tank is filled to the brim, the fifth bar drops off after 1 gallon used, the fourth and third bars drop after about 0.55 gallon incrememts. The second bar hangs while a little more than 0.6 is used, and then we're flashing on the final bar with about 0.9 gallons left, all give or take a little here and there. So the guage is actually pretty linear except the top bar can vary depending on how much you fill the tank.

As as noted above, the miles when the top bar disappears is about what your mpg is.

This is for a 2012-2013. I don't know how the guage works on a 2014+.
 
If the tank is filled to the brim, the fifth bar drops off after 1 gallon used, the fourth and third bars drop after about 0.55 gallon incrememts. The second bar hangs while a little more than 0.6 is used, and then we're flashing on the final bar with about 0.9 gallons left, all give or take a little here and there. So the guage is actually pretty linear except the top bar can vary depending on how much you fill the tank.

As as noted above, the miles when the top bar disappears is about what your mpg is.

This is for a 2012-2013. I don't know how the guage works on a 2014+.
You guys must have a different instrument panel because my bike doesn't give me any MPG numbers...

I just use the trip meter and it runs about 60 miles before I loose the first bar.

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk
 
If the tank is filled to the brim, the fifth bar drops off after 1 gallon used, the fourth and third bars drop after about 0.55 gallon incrememts. The second bar hangs while a little more than 0.6 is used, and then we're flashing on the final bar with about 0.9 gallons left, all give or take a little here and there. So the guage is actually pretty linear except the top bar can vary depending on how much you fill the tank.

As as noted above, the miles when the top bar disappears is about what your mpg is.

This is for a 2012-2013. I don't know how the guage works on a 2014+.

You guys must have a different instrument panel because my bike doesn't give me any MPG numbers...

I just use the trip meter and it runs about 60 miles before I loose the first bar.

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk

My bike doesn't give me mpg numbers. I never said that it did. I calculate mileage based on the odometer reading and the amount of fuel purchased. After riding the bike for almost five years, I'm very familiar with the relationship between the trip meter and the fuel gauge, as well as what mpg I get in various riding conditions.
 
Last edited:
I never pay much attention. Based on the worst Fuelly days I've had I watch my trip odometer a bit though.
 
If the tank is filled to the brim, the fifth bar drops off after 1 gallon used, the fourth and third bars drop after about 0.55 gallon incrememts. The second bar hangs while a little more than 0.6 is used, and then we're flashing on the final bar with about 0.9 gallons left, all give or take a little here and there. So the guage is actually pretty linear except the top bar can vary depending on how much you fill the tank.

As as noted above, the miles when the top bar disappears is about what your mpg is.

This is for a 2012-2013. I don't know how the guage works on a 2014+.

Thank you for the detailed gauge info. That helps a lot! My bike is a 2012 and I am using the trip counter in conjunction with refuel info as well. This will help me a lot on the road knowing approximately what it uses per bar on the fuel gauge. I am hoping the weather will cooperate this coming weekend to put a few miles on the bike. :D
 
If the tank is filled to the brim, the fifth bar drops off after 1 gallon used, the fourth and third bars drop after about 0.55 gallon incrememts. The second bar hangs while a little more than 0.6 is used, and then we're flashing on the final bar with about 0.9 gallons left, all give or take a little here and there. So the guage is actually pretty linear except the top bar can vary depending on how much you fill the tank. .

This matches up pretty well with my experience on a 2012 manual. If anything, i think my 4th/3rd bars are perhaps more like .55 gal. / .45 gal. respectively. that last bar before flashing always seems to go a bit quicker. If the capacity of 3.7 is correct I am usually at 1 gal. remaining when the final bar starts flashing. I usually fill to the level recommended in the diagram in the owners manual.
 
Last edited:
I always reset the trip meter when I fill up. I've noticed that the miles driven when the first bar goes out is a pretty good indicator of what my mileage will be for that tank. The next three bars go out a lot sooner than the first, If I fill up shortly after the red starts blinking it only takes 2.7 to 2.8 gals. so there is about a gallon left, I know I can go a good 40 - 50 miles or more after it starts blinking.
 
I always reset the trip meter when I fill up.
I use one for FULL TRIP and the other for LAST FILL, yep.

I've noticed that the miles driven when the first bar goes out is a pretty good indicator of what my mileage will be for that tank.
Often the terrain, wind, and the way I'm riding change to much for me to place much faith in this. There are periods where I really rip, others where I am relatively sedate, ones where I am on the flat with calm, pulling grades a lot and maybe pushing wind and dealing with gusting, etc. Why I use my worst Fuelly fill-ups as an indicator for worst-case total tank range.
 
Having learned from bitter regret trusting a fuel estimation based system on my utterly useless, lying, stoopid BMW, and admitting that I am apparently a completely random-*** throttle turner with never a hope of consistency for an entire tank of gas, my fuel bars disappear with no rhyme or reason that makes them much worth paying attention to...:eek:

With my '12, it's strictly a "worst case scenario" guesstimation for me, going by the tripmeter figures and somewhat the type of ride- basically slow or fast highway, city, or offroad puttering. An instant mpg readout for me would be a never ending flicker of confusing: 10mpg-90mpg-40mpg-20mpg-3mpg-11-mpg-99mpg-57mpg-2mpg-100mpg etc., etc. lol


I *do* have to trust a fuel gauge on my CBR125R though, as it doesn't have a tripmeter, and I totally suck at trying to remember+calculate trip info based off of the odometer. It's a simple analogue needle style, and thank heavens that for over ten years of riding it now, it has always been beyond dead nuts accurate and 1000% trustworthy. :D
 
The unusual shape of the gas tank easily explains the behavior described above...

suzane_lancamento_honda_nc700x_chassi1.jpg
 
Another thing is that while teetering near a bar change, accelerating or going uphill will make the gauge read higher, while decelerating or going downhill makes the gauge read lower.
 
And with a simple DTE (based on actual mpg which I think is calculated for 2013 and on?) display there would be no guess work.

Reminds me of when dive computers finally came into being. No more dive tables - the device determined bottom time by actual breathing, actual depth. Also told you how much air was left in minutes based on your actual consumption.

Seems like a very simple software solution for Honda. They could walk down the hall to the car guys and get the code [emoji851]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
And with a simple DTE (based on actual mpg which I think is calculated for 2013 and on?) display there would be no guess work.

Reminds me of when dive computers finally came into being. No more dive tables - the device determined bottom time by actual breathing, actual depth. Also told you how much air was left in minutes based on your actual consumption.

Seems like a very simple software solution for Honda. They could walk down the hall to the car guys and get the code [emoji851]

It's already dead simple for me. I don't need anything but the trip odometer now, and maybe a spare fuel container. Less gadgetry, less cost and weight and failure points added ; }
 
My bars tend to disappear around 60 first bar, 40 more second bar, 35 more third bar, 30 more fourth bar. Reserve light around 165 total. I have hit the reserve anywhere from 145 miles to 190 miles.
 
My first bar disappears after the first bend in the road...but then I accelerate pretty aggressively (=fuel bob giving inaccurate readings). Fuelly says my MPG is improving though, so either I'm learning my bike, or the new oil and valve clearances are breaking in nicely. ;)
 
Back
Top